As a member of the Animal Services Review Committee in Maple Ridge I am appalled that the SPCA has seen fit to return animals to Ms. Rutledge while charges are still pending and will soon be presented to Crown Counsel. Does this not equate to putting the victim(s) back into the hands of the abuser while awaiting a potential sentence?

The article from the Maple Ridge News notes that Ms. Rutledge has made bail for these animals and was able to provide $2500.00 to release them into her custody and has arranged for a payroll deduction plan to satisfy the further debt of $2500.00 for a total of $5000.00 in boarding costs, vet and transit fees. Is the return of these animals truly about improved conditions at the Rutledge farm or is it about the SPCA being able to collect $5000.00 immediately and reduce the cost of further care for these seized animals?

Also of concern is the statement by Eileen Driver, Senior Animal Protection Officer with the SPCA, “We are going to closely monitor her animal husbandry practices”. Are we now to believe that after years of complaints and documented proof by AAS of animals suffering from neglect, that the “watchful eye” of the SPCA will indeed closely monitor this situation?

With no improved infrastructure in place at the SPCA I suspect the amount of seizures that have occurred throughout the province has taxed the system and we may see more animals being returned for payment to their abusers.